Container



Feb.v 19, 1935. E. coNTl CONTAINER Fi1ed Feb. 27, 1952 l-VENTOR l [06f/vf (04W.

ATTORNEY-5` Feb. 19; 1935. E CONTI 1,992,144

CONTAINER Filed Feb. 27, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [06f/vf (0A/77.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 CONTAINER AEugene Conti, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Herz Cup Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 2?, 1932, Serial No. 595,495' y ii maints.

to provide a strong, stiff and compact rim to strengthen the container and resist collapse thereof when used. The improved rim is smooth and of such a contour as to render the container pleasant and ecient for drinking purposes. Containers provided with this rim are inexpensive to manufacture, may be closely nested and packed in a small space, will cooperate properly with the mechanisms of dispensing machines, and Jin other respects constitute a distinct ad- Vance in the art.

In order to furnish a full understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, an exemplary embodiment thereof in a one piece plaited paper cup will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, lin which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plaited paper drinking cup provided with the improved rim;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 to Qinclusive constitute a series of line diagrams showing the rim at'several stages in its formation and in its preferred final form;

- Fig. is an enlarged sectional view showing the preferred rim immediately prior to the final stage of formation, the view including parts of the die which perform the operation; and

Fig. l1 is a View similar to Fig. 10 but showing the position of the die parts and the shape of the riml in the final stage of formation.

The present invention provides a rim which is formed partly by folding and partly by pressure shaping and the folding is of lsuch a nature that it imparts an inherent or natural tendency to the rim to maintain the iinalshape which it is vgiven in the pressure shaping operation. The folding and pressing operations are of such a nature that a considerable amount of material is placed near the center of the width of the rim to form a substantial core to strengthen and stiien' the rim, but at the same time permitting the edges of the rim to be made thin. The nal pressure shaping operation compacts the rim, gives it the desired cross-sectional contour, and makes it smooth on both the upper and the lower surfaces. A finished pla-ited cup with this rim 16 is shown in Fig. l.

In Fig-2y the nished rim isv shownin greatly enlarged section. It is generally elliptical with the ends pointed. lThis shape may be designated ingeometrical terms as el1iptic-lanceolate; or

slightly upward toward the outside.

(El, 22g- 21) since the inner end is not so thin as the outer end it may be more conveniently designated in common terms as almond-shaped. The upper side or section 17 of the elliptical rim forms the flare at the upped edge of the cup. The inclination of this flared surface is such that a, tangent to the outer end of the upper surface is inclined It is not quite horizontal. The upper surface is very smooth, there being no perceptible ridges or 10 folds either longitudinal or circumferential in the rim or in the sides of the cup below the rim.

-The plaits of the cup are, of course, visible but to the touch they are scarcely perceptible. The extreme outer' edge 18 of the rim is quite thin. This l5 makes it more attractive, it being well known that a vessel with a thin lip or edge is more attractive and pleasant to the user than one with a thick edge. The rim conforms to the lips of the user` in a natural and effective manner.

The lower side or section 19 of the rim extends inward toward the cup. Its edge usually does not touch the cup but in case it should it would strike above the root of the flaring upper section, not along the side wall 20.

The next section 22 is folded back in an upward and outward direction from the inner edge 21 of the lower section of the rim to form a lower core section. It p asses upward into the space defined by the converging sections 17 and 19 and 30 is there folded reversely downward and inward from the fold line 23 to form an upper core section 24. 'Ihe 4last sectionespecially toward its end 25, i. e., thel free edge of the cup, lies against the outer or under surface of the aring top section 17 of the rim. If, in spite of the heavy pressing operation which it has undergone, the upper core section 24 possesses any resiliency the resulting outward pressure, while it may cause the lower edge of the rim to be moved slightly away 40 from the sidewall of the cup, will not be effective to cause appreciable opening up of the rim for the reason that the spreading force. originating at the fold line 23, would be applied to the lower section 19 near the outer fold line 18 and 45 the lever action is decreased. Also the lever actionof the section 22V about the fold line 21 and of the section 19-about the fold line 18 tending to carry the lower edge of the rim outward in an arc centered at the fold line 18 is rendered 50 ineffective because the material along the fold line 21 has beenvlocked in contracted condition and against expansion by high compression in the shaping operation. l

Suitable apparatus for forming this rim con- Letters Patent wherein said apparatus is fully disclosed. One form of mechanism and method of forming the rim are disclosed and claimed in the copending application', Serial Number 597,209, filed March 7th, 1932. For the purpose of this specification it is sufiicient to show in Figs. 3 to 9 the various stages of formation of the rim to indicate one exemplary way in which the rim maybe formed. It will of course be understood that these diagrammatic views are drawn to` indicate folds which in actual practice are made on circumferential lines near the free edge of the 'cup which in the present embodiment of the invention is of the well known plaited type. In Fig. 3 the upper section 27 of the cup which is to form the rim has been folded outward from a fold lline 28 until the section is approximately horizontal, It is advantageous to fold the entire length of stock which is to form the rim outward from its base in the first operation while the outer edge is unconned and free to expand circumferentially. If several folds were made progressively inward from the outer edge, the outer fold would lock the material against further free expansion when the subsequent inner folds were made. Such free expansion is required if splitting of the material is to be avoided. In Fig. 4 the outer edge 25 has been turned downward about a second fold line 29 intermediate the radial length of has been folded inward about the second (fold line first fold line.

29 until thesection 30 lies parallel with the top section 27. In Fig. 6 the folded edge formed at the juncture of sections 27 and 30 has been folded down about a third fold line 31 intermediate the fold lines 28 and 29 to forman end section 32. In Fig. 7 the entire doubled rim is folded down about a fold line 33 which is spaced slightly from the It is to -be noted that none of the fold lines are sharp. Consequently if the line of bending is later shifted somewhat, as it is herein, no ridges will be left'in the rim where the original fold lines were located.

Figs. 8 and 9'show the final stages of the rim formation. Fig. 8 corresponds to Fig. 7 except that the cup has been removed from the preforming or foldingumechanism and the doubled sections have spread out somewhat due to the resiliency of the material. Fig. 9 shows in line diagram the finished rim. Here the previous fold lines have been shifted somewhat, some more than others, but their positions will be approximately identified as an aid to an understanding of the final form. In this figure the reference numerals of Fig. 2 are applied to the various parts and with these full lead lines are used. Some of the reference numerals of Figs. 3 to 8 are also applied to indicate approximately the amount of shifting and with these dotted lead lines are used. From this .itjwill be seen that the final fold line 21 generally corresponds to the transitory fold line 29; that the final fold line 23 generally corresponds to the transitory fold line 31; and that the final section 24 generally corresponds to the transitory end section 32;-bt the transitory fold-lines 28 and 33 have been obliterated,n though if they could be identified :they would be found somewhere along the final upper section 17 about in the positions indicated.

Figs. 10 and 11 Ashow theA cup and rim nat the stages indicated diagrammatically in Figs. 8 and 9 but also include a partial section of the die used for shaping the rim under pressure, and

stitutes the subject of another' application for show the multiple layers of paper as they will appear at most places throughout the rim of a cup formed with overlapping plaits. Here the cup is fitted closelyupon a male die 35 which is provided with a rim shaping abutment 36; and a female die 37 which is provided with a shaping recess 38 is moved relative to the male die to fold the rim and press it into final shape. The transitory fold line 31 forms a line of weakness which Yassists in\the reverse folding of the end section 32 in this operation.

It is to be noted that the final operation is performed by an effective upward stroke of the female die while the cup is closely fitted on the male die. This causes the rim to be formed without any appreciable movement of the body of the cup relative to the male die. There is therefore no tendency .for the body portion of the cup -to buckle and it is finished with a smooth surface throughout the side walls and rim. From the above description it will be seen that the present rim is strong and rigid since it has considerable width in a radial direction and has a great deal of material packed into the center of the rim. As seen in Fig. 2, there are fo'ux' superposed sections of material at most places in the rim. This, so far as known, has never been accomplished before in any type of rim. The present rim, therefore, may be contrasted favorably against previously known folded rims which were thin and weak and against rolled rims which were hollow, and after they hadbecome moistened or initially distorted at any point, Weak also. The present rim is smooth and of an attractive contour whereas most of the previously proposed rims have been wrinkled and of unattractive contour..

The hollow rimsl in particular were roughibecause the plaits could not be pressed down without destroying the rim and there were in many types deep folds in the side wall of the cup at the base lof the rim produced by the required rim forming operations. The present rim tends permanently to maintain its shape due to judicious controllable folding operations which are per-l formed before the pressure shaping operations are instituted. Many previously known rims have had a pronounced tendency to\unfold and it has been necessary to saturate or coat them withv While oneform of rim has been illustrated and" described it is to be understood that some departures therefrom are permisste;h also that while a plaited paper container is illustrated the rim is not necessarily restricted to this type of container; and finally it is distinctly'to be understood that the 'rim maybe formed otherwise than.

in the manner indicated, the. steps of formation and the means for effecting certain steps being given simply as an aid to a visualization of one inode of producing the rim and not in any sense as a limitation upon the container or Brim as a final article of manufacture. The invention is only to be limited by the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims. I claim:

1. A container formed of paper or other suitable material'comprising in combination, a bot-i tom, a plaited side wall, and a rim integral with the side wall, said rim being generally elliptical in cross section but with tapered ends and including a curved upper section forming a smooth flared continuation of the side wall, a curved lower section folded abruptly downward land inward from the upper section, a lower core section folded abruptlyxupward and outward from the lower section into the space between the upper and lower sections and extending near to the fold line therebetween, and an upper core section folded downward and inward from the lower core section and in a reverse direction of rotation from the other folds, the rim being compact throughout and the plaits locked.

2. A container formed of paper or other suitable material comprising in combination, a bottom, a side wall, and a rim, said rim being elliptic-lanceolate in shape and including a curved upper section forming a flared upwardly inclined continuation of the side wall, a curved lower section folded abruptly downward and inward from the upper section, a lower core section folded abruptly upward and outward from the lower section between the upper and lower sections in a direction toward the fold line between these sections and lying against the lower section, and an upper core section folded abruptly downward and inward from the lower core section toward the fold line between the lower section and the lower core section and lying against the upper section.

3. As an article of manufacture, a plaited paper container having a. rim comprising two sections folded inward and one section folded outward,-

one of the inwardly folded sections lying against the under side of the upper portion of the rim which forms a continuation of the side walls of the container, the rim being highly compact, smooth and rigid and standingclear of the side of the cup at its lower edge due to the residual resiliency'of the terminal section,

4. A paper container comprising a bottom. plaited side walls and a reinforcing rim formed 1- integrally with the side walls, the upper portion of the side walls being flared outwardly in a smooth trumpet shape without circumferential lines of wrinkling or folding to constitute the upper layer of a multi-layer rim, said rim being ,I

highly compressed to the extent that interiorreference to the longitudinal axis of the container but being thick at the center and having a thin outer edge.

5. A container as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by the fact that the rim, .including theA top portion of the side walls of the container, comprises four folded edge-connected layers of material.

6. A container asset forth in claim 4 further characterized by the fact that the layers of the rim in a direction from the upper edge of the container toward the free edge of the paper, are progressively slightly shorter than the preceding layer but long enough to illl substantially all the space within the rim.

7. A container as set forth in claim 4 characterized by the fact that the rim is formed of four edge-connected layers of material, all of the layers except theA terminal layer being folded in one direction of rotation and the terminal layer being folded in the reverse direction of rotation so as to lie against the under surface of the upper layer of the rim.

8. A paper container comprising a bottom, plaited side walls and a reinforcing rim formed integrally with the side walls, the rim, including the top portion of the side walls, containing four 'edge-connected layers of material and each layer containing three thicknesses of paper lthroughout substantially its entire extent, said layers being approximately flat, lying directly against each other and being vof sufficient length to cover the surfaces of the adjoining layers, to form a rim which is substantially without voids, said rim being pressure set to lock the creases between the layers and compress the material.

. EUGENE CONTI. 

